[These policies can also be found in the Letter to Club Directors in the Juniors' Registration Packet.]

The first day clubs may host tryouts for girls in grades 9-12 is the day after the State Volleyball Championships in your state (Ohio and Pennsylvania: November 12, 2006). Tryouts for girls in the 8th grade or younger (10s-14s) may be held no earlier than the last weekend in October (Friday, October 27, 2006), provided the middle school season is over in your area. Boys' tryouts may begin on September 1. Failure to adhere to these dates may jeopardize the eligibility of the athletes we are trying to serve and will result in a penalty to the offending club and director.

Tryouts may be open to anyone or invitational. Each club must act responsibly when trying to attract athletes to their tryouts. Clubs may advertise through the media and distribute information regarding their tryouts to the coaches of the schools in their area. It will be considered inappropriate for any member of a club (director, coach, or athlete) to try to recruit a member of another club. Clubs may respond to anyone interested in trying out for their programs. Failure to comply with these regulations will result in sanction by the region.

All club directors and coaches conducting tryouts should be registered members of USA Volleyball. I strongly recommend registering anyone working at your tryouts to cover personal liability for injury of an athlete. The Ohio Valley Region will again sanction all registered tryouts and provide, on request to registered members, a Certificate of Insurance. The region will provide liability insurance for each athlete for the length of the tryout. Failure to have your tryout(s) sanctioned through our online application process or by submitting the Application for Sanction of Tryouts will place all responsibility for injury on the club. Sanctioned tryouts will be posted on the OVR website (www.ovr.org/juniors/tryouts/).

Any non-refundable tryout fee should not exceed $10.00. Permission may be granted to charge more with documentation of extraordinary expense. Written documentation of expense and value must be included with your application. Open gyms and clinics will not be sanctioned as part of a club's tryout.

Clubs may offer contracts to athletes at the end of their tryout sessions. Athletes invited to join a club must be given ten days from the date of the tryouts to agree to sign a contract with the club. Clubs may not require a commitment on-site. Athletes may accept an offer at any time within the 10-day period.

Note: all participants (with their parents/guardians) should complete the Waiver and Release of Liability before stepping on the court.
 

The following information on tryouts is reproduced from the 2006 Procedures and Rules for OVR Juniors' Club Directors

Tryouts

Clubs having tryouts must sanction these events to use USA Volleyball insurance. Go to www.ovr.org/juniors/tryouts/ to apply for a sanction. Tryouts are limited to one contact per weekend, not to exceed 3 consecutive hours. Any second session or "call back" is also limited to 3 consecutive hours. No post-tryout organizational meetings are to be scheduled prior to the expiration of the 10 day acceptance period.

Clubs may host tryouts for high school age athletes the day after the state championships in their state. Athletes from surrounding states are not permitted to attend tryouts in another state until the day after the state tournament has concluded in their state of residence. The last weekend of October is the first weekend tryouts are permitted for all other age groups. Contracts for elementary and junior high athletes may not be signed or accepted until November 1.

For boys, tryouts may be held no earlier than November 1 for the regular season. For the Fall League, clubs may host tryouts the day after the Boys National Championships. Those boys whose regular season club or team is not participating in the fall league can tryout for another club provided they obtain a release from their previous club.

Boys may participate in 10 and Under girls tournaments on co-ed or gender specific (all boys) teams. There is no limit to the number of boys on a team. Regular USA Volleyball rules for Youth teams will be used with accepted region modification. Boys may not participate on 12 and Under girls teams.

Failure to adhere to these dates may jeopardize the eligibility of the athletes we are trying to serve and will result in a penalty to the offending club and director. Clubs having tryouts in similar geographic areas should coordinate their tryouts to avoid same age group time conflicts. Each participant is to receive an "Athlete's Bill of Rights" at the end of the try-out and prior to making a commitment with a club.

Tryout Participants

Tryouts may be open to anyone or by invitation. Each club must act responsibly when trying to attract athletes to their tryouts. Clubs may advertise through the media and distribute information regarding their tryouts to the coaches of the schools in their area. Membership to any specific club lasts from November 1 to October 31 of the next year. Beginning November 1, it will be considered inappropriate for any member of a club (director, coach, or athlete) to try to recruit a player that has already signed a written agreement to participate on another club. Clubs may respond to anyone interested in trying out for their programs. Failure to comply with these regulations will result in sanction by the region.

Note: all participants (with their parents/guardians) should complete the Waiver and Release of Liability before stepping on the court.

All club directors and coaches conducting tryouts should be registered members of USA Volleyball. It is strongly recommend registering anyone working at your tryouts to cover personal liability for injury of an athlete. The Ohio Valley Region will again sanction all registered tryouts and provide, on request to registered members, a Certificate of Insurance. The region will provide liability insurance for each athlete for the length of the tryout. Failure to have your tryout(s) sanctioned through our online application process or by submitting the Application for Sanction of Tryouts will place all responsibility for injury on the club. Sanctioned tryouts will be posted on the OVR website (www.ovr.org/juniors/tryouts/).

Tryout fee

Any non-refundable tryout fee should not exceed $10.00. Permission may be granted to charge more with documentation of extraordinary expense. Written documentation of expense and value must be included with your application. Open gyms and clinics will not be sanctioned as part of a club's tryout.

Player selection

Clubs may offer contracts to athletes at the end of their tryout sessions. Athletes invited to join a club must be given ten days from the date of the tryouts to agree to sign a contract with the club. Clubs may not require a commitment on-site. Athletes may accept an offer at any time within the 10-day period.